Ballack out of World Cup

Germany will have to play the 2010 FIFA World Cup without their captain Michael Ballack.

A scan on Monday revealed that the ligaments were damaged rather then just heavily bruised which will keep Ballack out of action for at least eight weeks.

The official statement read, "A tear of the medial collateral ligament of the right ankle was found. The right ankle is immobilised in a plaster. He will have to wear a special shoe for two weeks."


33 year old Ballack had picked-up the injury in Saturday's FA Cup final against FC Portsmouth at Wembley. A rough tackle from Kevin Prince Boateng in the 35th minute forced an early substitution before the break, but Boateng only received a yellow card for the foul.

The foul video - Boateng vs Ballack

And Ballack accused Boateng afterwards of deliberately fouling the German captain and told the media after the match that Boateng didn't even bother to say sorry for the foul. Boateng didn't speak to the media after the game.

Boateng happens to be a Berlin born half-German and half-Ghanian, who recently switched allegiances from Germany to Ghana to play for the Africans in the World Cup. And interestingly Germany will face Ghana in the group stage of the upcoming World Cup, while Boateng's younger half brother Jerome Boateng will play for Germany.

Boateng, who represented Germany at youth level, sees himself as someone not really understood by the German public. And this incidence will surely not raise his popularity in his native country. Many have actually gone on record to say that the foul was deliberate and on Facebook a group has been created under the name of "We hate you, Kevin Prince!" with hundreds joining in.


For German coach Joachim Loew the injury adds to his growing list of problems. Ballack was not only the captain, but a central figure to lead a young German squad.

He would have played in the strategic defensive midfield position as one of the two sixes besides Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Loew will now have to think about calling in an experienced replacement with only Sami Khedira a suitable candidate in the squad. Simon Rolfes had to opt out earlier due to injury, while seasoned Thorsten Frings and Thomas Hitzlsperger had been dropped by Loew due to different reasons. But they might be candidates to make a comeback now.


For Ballack personally the timing couldn't have been worse. His contract with Chelsea ends on June 30, 2010 and talks about a new contract were supposed to be held after the FA Cup final. With being out for at least eight weeks, his future is undecided and his chance of winning a major trophy with Germany now look also very unlikely.

One can only hope that Ballack isn't forced to retire due to this injury. Such a great career shouldn't end this way...